Armando Castillo, Joe Ludlow and Travis Savala hold their rare opah catches, weighing 151, 180 and 124 pounds respectively. The fish were caught at the same time Friday, about 125 miles southeast of San Diego.

Armando Castillo, Joe Ludlow and Travis Savala hold their rare opah catches, weighing 151, 180 and 124 pounds respectively. The fish were caught at the same time Friday, about 125 miles southeast of San Diego.

Photo: Courtesy/Excel Long Range Sportfishing

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Opah, also called, moonfish, sunfish, kingfish, redfin ocean pan, and Jerusalem haddock. Their unusual looks, large size and scarcity, make them prized trophies for anglers.

Opah, also called, moonfish, sunfish, kingfish, redfin ocean pan, and Jerusalem haddock. Their unusual looks, large size and scarcity, make them prized trophies for anglers.

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If caught, opah makes for a nish seafood dish. In this photo, the seafood plate includes grilled opah with Taro Root and Coconut Puree.

If caught, opah makes for a nish seafood dish. In this photo, the seafood plate includes grilled opah with Taro Root and Coconut Puree.

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Smoked opah and salad greens

Smoked opah and salad greens

Photo: 22 North

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Grilled Opah with Sweet Potato and Coconut Sauce

Grilled Opah with Sweet Potato and Coconut Sauce

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Cousin to the piranha, the pacu has become a popular aquarium fish. The problem is they sometimes outgrow their tanks and then the owners drop them into lakes. That’s how wildlife officials believe pacu got into freshwaters. The fish is famous for biting off the testicles of fishermen and swimmers. less

Cousin to the piranha, the pacu has become a popular aquarium fish. The problem is they sometimes outgrow their tanks and then the owners drop them into lakes. That’s how wildlife officials believe pacu got ... more

Photo: Amy Sancetta, ...

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Lionfish, which are popular in aquariums because of their unique-looking, venomnous spiky fins and rays, are native to the Pacific Ocean but during the last few decades have spread to the Atlantic, mostly along the East Coast and near Florida. less

Lionfish, which are popular in aquariums because of their unique-looking, venomnous spiky fins and rays, are native to the Pacific Ocean but during the last few decades have spread to the Atlantic, mostly along ... more

, which are popular in aquariums because of their unique-looking, venomnous spiky fins and rays, are native to the Pacific Ocean but during the last few decades have spread to the Atlantic, mostly along the East Coast and near Florida.

, which are popular in aquariums because of their unique-looking, venomnous spiky fins and rays, are native to the Pacific Ocean but during the last few decades have spread to the Atlantic, mostly along

, a floating plant from South America, reproduces and expands so quickly it can smother the life from small lakes.

Photo: Shannon Tompkins, Houston Chronicle

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Aggressive plant

Mike Homer of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department says giant salvinia is one of the nation's most aggressive and destructive invasive aquatic plants.

Mike Homer of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department says giant salvinia is one of the nation's most aggressive and destructive invasive aquatic plants.

Photo: Shannon Tompkins, Houston Chronicle

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Another plant problem

Kenneth Hausmann shows some of the hydrilla that thrives in Lake Austin. It took hold in 2002.

Kenneth Hausmann shows some of the hydrilla that thrives in Lake Austin. It took hold in 2002.

Photo: HARRY CABLUCK, AP

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Boaters to blame?

Officials say boaters have spread harmful aquatic plants across much of eastern Texas by letting them hitch rides on trailers.

Officials say boaters have spread harmful aquatic plants across much of eastern Texas by letting them hitch rides on trailers.

Photo: Shannon Tompkins, Houston Chronicle

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Clam concerns

Texas officials don't know much about the Asian clam, except that fish and crayfish have added them to their diet.

Texas officials don't know much about the Asian clam, except that fish and crayfish have added them to their diet.

Photo: Philip Kamrass, Albany Times Union

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Disease risk for wildlife

While the new diet might help control the Asian clam population in Texas, officials say they also may carry new disease.

While the new diet might help control the Asian clam population in Texas, officials say they also may carry new disease.

Photo: Paul Buckowski, Albany Times Union

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Anglers catch extremely rare fish in Southern California

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SAN ANTONIO – Texas has seen some big fish and interesting species considered invasive popping up lately in our waters and on our shores, but some rare catches by three anglers in Southern California have given a new meaning to the fishermen term, "the big uglies."

These "big uglies," or fish big enough to eat your dog or cat, were caught the same day off the San Diego-based Excel sportfishing boat by Armando Castillo, Joe Ludlow and Travis Savala. The trio caught three rare opah fishes, or moonsfishes, weighing in at 151, 180 and 124 pounds, respectively, according to an article by GrindTv. Two other opah fishes were hooked Friday, too, but only three landed.

A photo of the men and their dream catches has more than 7,000 likes on Excel's Facebook page, leading the other photos with the amounts of shares and likes.

Not only is opah rare to catch on any sportfishing boat, but it is extremely rare to land three in one day.

According to GrindTv, the anglers spent several days on the trip fishing for yellowfin tuna, bluefin tuna and yellowtail, brought on by the warm-water event, El Niño. The warm water also is inviting to opah, which are commonly found in tropical and sub-tropical areas.

Because opah has a bright color, they typically do not swim in large schools, the article stated. Because of that, a commercial market does not exist. Though, the fish can be found in restaurants, caught incidentally by commercial and recreational fisherman.

In Texas, many of the rare catches happen when people release an exotic fish into a foreign body of water, said Steve Lightfoot, information specialist for Texas Parks and Wildlife. He added that as far as he knows, there have been no rare landings of large, exotic animals.

"Unfortunately, we don't have our own Sasquatch fish," he said.

He said there was concern with the exotic fish, pacu, because it resembles a piranha. He said an individual must have released the fish into American lakes, since its origin is from South America.

Another invasive species becoming a nuisance, as recently reported in the San Antonio Express-News, is the lionfish, which is growing in population in the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. The fish likely entered the ocean when hurricanes destroyed Florida aquariums, or by human release.